Taane Mete graduated with honours from the
New Zealand School of Dance in 1988 and is a senior male dancer in Aotearoa –
New Zealand.
His performing experience has seen him
dance with companies such as Footnote Dance Company, Douglas Wright Dance
Company, Taiao Dance Company, Fusion Dance Theatre, Michael Parmenter’s
(Commotion Company), The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Human Garden Dance Company,
Mau Dance Company and Atamira Dance Collective. Taane was also a founding
member and a senior dancer for Black Grace Dance Company.
Taane also works as a choreographer in the
entertainment industry and has choreographed two winning performances for the
hit show “Queen of the Whole Universe’ 2007 and 2008. Other shows include New
Zealand Fashion Week, The World of Wearable Art 2009 and 2010, the opening of
Auckland’s Vector Arena. Taane also performed and choreographed for Finale
Cabaret and Restaurant in Auckland.
He has also taught as a tutor for UNITEC New Zealand and the
New Zealand School of Dance. Taane has also featured in the short film ‘Hurtle’
by Shona McCullagh, and Peter Jackson’s ‘King Kong’. One of the highlights in
his career was performing for a month on Broadway in New York in 2005 with
Black Grace Dance Company. In 2005 – 2006 Taane worked for Front of the Box
Productions as a television presenter for the program Takataapui.
In 2007 Taane joined forces with Taiaroa
Royal and together they formed Okareka Dance Company Ltd. Their success show
Tama Ma has toured New Zealand, America and China. Okareka will tour Tama Ma to
Brisbane 2011. “Tama Ma a life of dance” is a 70 min documentary created by
Heather Lee and Mark Summerville premiered on Maori Television Oct 10 2010. It
will also tour with the stage show Tama Ma.
Taane graduated from the Leadership New Zealand programme in 2008 and continues
to advocate a leadership role in the dance community as well as developing a
dance program catered to tertiary students. In the summer of 2010 Taane was
fortunate enough to work with Louise Potiki Bryant and Charles Royal in the
show Te Karohorohi.
Taane has also featured as the first
challenge for the television show New Zealand’s Next Top Model for TV2 (2010)
DANCE HISTORY
1985 – Fusion Dance Theatre
1986 – 88 Studied at the New Zealand School
of Dance.
1989 Footnote Dance Company
1990 – 91 Taiao Dance Company
1992 Michael Parmenter’s Commotion Company,
“Weathers from a Spark’
1993 Douglas Wrights ‘Forever’
1994 Douglas Wrights “How on Earth”
1995 – 2005 Black Grace Dance Company
1997 Mika and the Uhuras, Edinburgh
1998 Shona McCullaghs - Hurtle
1999 Michael Parmenter’s “Jerusalem”
2000 Millenium show- Mike Mizrahi
2004 Michael Parmenters “Tristan and Isolde
“ Finale Cabaret and
Restaurant – Choreographer and performer.
2005 Black Grace tour to Jacobs Pillow and New York.
2006 Mau Dance Company. “Requiem” Belgium, Brussels
2007 Okareka Dance Company - Director, Choreographer, Dancer,
World of Wearable Art – Dancer.
Mau Dance Company, Tempest, Belgium, Brussels
2008 Okareka Dance Company, Premiere of
Tama Ma. Dance tutor, CCMT
2009 Okareka Dance Comapny. Tama Ma
nationally and to Beijing China. Dance tutor, CCMT Flintlock Muskettes – Actor,
dancer
2010 Louise Potiki Bryant -Te Karohirohi. Okareka
Dance Company. Tama Ma tour of Hastings, Nelson. Perth. World of Wearable Art –
Dancer, choreographer
2011. CCMT dance tutor and choreographer.
Louise Potiki Bryant – Te Karohorohi, Brisbane tour Tama Ma, Premiere Nga Hau e
Wha.
Class Description Through his own practice Taane has developed a class that
focuses on core stability and the mechanical efficiency of the body during
class. The idea is to find through repetition what muscle groups are needed to
fulfil a particular exercise without over compensating in other areas. Class
begins with warming the large muscle groups with floor and standing work. Large
moving phrases are then pieced together until there are several mass phrases.
Taane also draws knowledge for his classes from his experience as a dancer
and performer.